1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a mounting system for a trolling motor and, more particularly, to a mounting system that clamps the trolling motor to a transom, or other fixture, of a marine vessel and allows for a quick connect and disconnect to the transom.
2. Description of the Related Art
Those skilled in the art of trolling motors are familiar with many types of mounting systems to attach the trolling motor to a marine vessel. Some attachment systems are particularly configured to attach the trolling motor to the deck of a boat, usually near the bow. These are referred to as bow mounted motors. Other trolling motors are particularly configured to be attached at the rear or side of a marine vessel. These are typically attached to the transom of a boat and are referred to transom mounted motors. A preferred embodiment of the present invention, which will be described below, relates primarily to transom mounted trolling motors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,872, which issued to Shonley et al. on Feb. 12, 1985, describes a lifesaver trolling motor mount. It is a device for connecting the upper end of an auxiliary motor mount to the stern of an inboard/outboard boat when used in conjunction with a mount with pivotal lower anchoring device on the sterndrive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,902, which issued to Havins on Aug. 8, 1989, describes a boat speed and direction control system. It describes a steering control system for a boat propelled by either bow mounted or transom mounted trolling motors. The steering control system includes a steering cam assembly, actuating device for imparting relative rotational movements between the steering cam and the steering cam housing, and steering device for turning the trolling motors in a manner responsive to the actuation of the switching device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,798, which issued to McCoy on Apr. 9, 1991, describes a trolling motor mount. The mount is intended for dynamically attaching an auxiliary trolling motor at a user selective position over the gunwale, transom, or stern of a fishing boat. The mount comprises a rigid bracket secured by a screw clamp to the wall of the boat. The bracket comprises a pair of sides spaced apart by a planar top. A bottom projects inwardly toward the open interior of the brackets. An adjustable base associated with the bracket bottom provides width compensation to accommodate different mounting surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,434, which issued to Brown on Oct. 25, 1994, describes a mounting apparatus for a trolling motor. It is intended for mounting an auxiliary motor such as a trolling motor to the transom of a boat. The apparatus includes a frame, a motor mount, a pivot connection between the frame and the motor mount, a control motor supported by the frame, a gear carried by the frame and driven by the control motor, and a linking arm connected between the gear and the motor mount.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,017, which issued to Huzjak on Feb. 14, 1995, describes a folding transom boat. The folding transom has an engaged position and a retracted position. The transom including a motor mounting bracket, a pair of parallel horizontal legs, having first and second ends, each leg being attachable to a boat at the first end, a pair of L-shaped members, maintained in parallel relationship, each of which is rotatably attached at one end of the L-shaped member to the second end of a horizontal leg by a thumb screw for locking the L-shaped member into an engaged position and on the other end of the L-shaped member to the motor mounting bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,471, which issued to Brown on Apr. 25, 2000, describes a convertible tilt bracket assembly for mounting trolling motors. The assembly comprises two separable main components, a tilt bracket and a swivel plate. The assembly is convertible for use with any one of various types of trolling motors adapted for bow or transom mounting and it convertibly mounts to a bow gunwale, transom or deck of any of a variety of small fishing boats. In addition, it has as tilt mechanism which minimizes the damaging effect of an underwater impact to a trolling motor of either mounting type.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,705, which issued to Bechtel et al. on Jul. 6, 2004, describes a foot pedal kit for a trolling motor. A kit is provided permitting a retrofit conversion of an existing trolling motor to a foot pedal operation. The kit includes a foot pedal assembly, linking mechanical and electrical cables, and attachment hardware including brackets for attaching the mechanical cable to the trolling motor shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,803, which issued to Ruffe on Feb. 28, 2006, describes an outboard trolling motor deployment and control system. The system is intended for use with a boat which is afloat in a body of water and includes an outboard trolling motor assembly having at least one, but preferably, one pair of trolling motors. A deployment assembly is disposed in cooperative engagement with the outboard trolling motor assembly and is structured to facilitate positioning the outboard trolling motors between a stowed position and at least one predetermined deployed position.
Many types of over-center mechanisms are known to those skilled in the art. The most popular type of over-center clamping device is used in conjunction with vice grips or other similar type tools. These devices typically operate by having a handle move two clamping surfaces toward each other and, upon further movement of the handle, the clamping surfaces are locked in position. Numerous applications of these types of application of devices are well known to those skilled in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,843, which issued to Izraeli on Oct. 8, 1974, describes a quick release grounding clamp. The device is directed to a quick release grounding clamp fabricated basically from an over-center type locking wrench which can be remotely released when a force is exerted upon the conductive cable employed for grounding purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,738, which issued to Owen on Jun. 22, 1976, describes a clamp. A pair of work engaging jaws of a clamp device are interconnected by linkages forming part of a manually operable force multiplying mechanism. A movable work engaging element mounted by one of the jaws is actuated by a grip lever from a retracted position into engagement with a workpiece. An over-center linkage transmits the actuating force against the resistance of a spring to prevent return of the grip lever from its actuated position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,922 which issued to McGrath et al. on Oct. 27, 1981, describes a bench clamp device. A tension clamping device is described, which is particularly suited for use as a bench clamp or vice. A workpiece is gripped in the jaws of the clamping device by forcing a pin, which engages notches in an area depending from one of the jaws, to travel in guiding slots until the workpiece is firmly gripped, then holding the pin in this position by an over-center action of the lever controlling the movement of the pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,922, which issued to Boike on Apr. 11, 1989, describes a clamping apparatus. A clamping system is disposed for use with an assembly gig. It features a clamp having one jaw consisting of a pin and the other jaw including a pad which when closed will be spaced from but parallel to the pin. The pin is to be inserted into a circular locating device which is joined to the frame of the assembly jig.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,648, which issued to Berkowitz on Oct. 23, 1990, describes an adapter handle with adjusting mechanism. The handle is intended for use on wheeled vehicles having two spaced apart handles for application of propulsion forces and steering formed by an elongate arm extensible between the spaced apart handles of the wheeled vehicle which includes a clamp adjacent each end thereof to enable the adapter handle to be rapidly coupled onto the spaced apart handles and a single hand grip extending substantially from the center of the arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,555, which issued to Collister et al. on Sep. 17, 2002, describes a locking squeeze-off clamp. A latching mechanism for an adjustable squeeze-off clamp comprises a static jaw, a movable jaw with an associated adjustment member and an over-center operating linkage including an operating handle and a link. The latching mechanism is selectively automatic whereby, when the lock mode is selected and the clamp is then closed, it automatically locks.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,862,961, which issued to Winkler on Mar. 8, 2005, describes a locking pliers tool with automatic jaw gap adjustment and adjustable clamping force capability. A locking pliers tool which combines a self-locking, frictional brake, gap setting means to set jaw gap size automatically when clamping onto a workpiece, and an over-center linkage clamping means to securely clamp the workpiece in between the opposing tool jaws, and an adjustment means for setting the clamping force to be exerted onto the gripped workpiece is described.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.
It would be significantly beneficial if a clamping mechanism could be provided for attaching a trolling motor to a transom of a marine vessel. It would be particularly helpful if the clamping mechanism was configured to allow the trolling motor to be quickly attached and/or removed from the transom.